Our Whiskeys – Writers’ Tears

19th and early 20th century Ireland was a golden era both for Irish whiskey and, perhaps coincidentally, for great Irish novelists, poets and playwrights. Ireland was then the leading whiskey producing nation in the world and the birthplace of literary giants, including writers such as George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Bram Stoker, to name but a few.

Many of these great writers, on occasion, would take refuge in their local public house, where they could draw inspiration from their observations of daily life while enjoying the comfort of their favourite dram of whiskey.

Away from the writers’ enjoyment of a dram, the Irish whiskey barons were rebelling against the emergence of what they saw as inferior grain from Coffey Stills. The barons were protective of the traditions that had made their success possible and at that time, one whiskey style was held high above all others. Known as the ‘champagne of Irish whiskey’ it was a master blend of pot still and malt whiskeys, both distilled in copper pots. It was enjoyed by many of the great Irish writers of the day… of course less for its inspirational qualities than its full-bodied, flavoursome taste and creamy texture! It was said that they enjoyed it so much, that when they cried, their tears were of whiskey.

Little did anyone consider back then, that the partnership between scribe and whiskey was to fade away almost entirely over the century that followed as the whiskey barons battled the perceived ills of technological, trade and other wars… that is, until now.